Poll | 06/20/2008 12:00 am

Cindy McCain said, 'I don't think that spouses and family members ... are fair game.' Is she right?

Read more about: Cindy McCain, Election, News, Politics

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This is an issue we’ve touched on before at wowOwow. Candice Bergen, Liz Smith, Judith Martin and Joan Ganz Cooney all told us what they thought. Click here to read what they — and our wOw readers — had to say.

By Joni Evans on 06/20/2008 12:00 am

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Protecting the spouses of Presidential candidates from criticism by the media is a noble and lofty concept which will likely never be realized. According to today’s standards spouses are fair game and they’d better have their ducks in a row in preparation of scalding reviews and often unfair thrashings. On the other hand, if a candidate’s children and extended family have been law abiding and are by and large of moral character they should generally receive free pass unless and until they themselves choose to feed from the campaign trough.

By E . on 06/20/2008 12:58 am

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No, Cindy is wrong. If you are in the public eye then we all know that you and your family can expect to be ripped from limb to limb. Hey, don’t give me that look …. I did not make the rules. My thoughts are you had better own whatever your weakness is and use it prompt change in your own life and try to change the world at the same time. Of course Cindy would say that … Cindy McCain is a junkie. And remember, I said it would be wise to use your weakness to make change.

By Liza D 08 .... beta on 06/20/2008 12:16 am

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Meow.

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/20/2008 1:20 am

Bonne - rolflmao

By Maggi D on 06/20/2008 1:26 am

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Ms. O, What exactly do you mean by this meow?

By Liza D 08 .... beta on 06/20/2008 1:50 am

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Hi Liza D - Well, Liza, I thought the remark that “Cindy McCain is a junkie” was a catty remark. But it was late at night and after Cindy took a beating on the last discussion held here about her, I think I was a bit oversensitive. However, your remark held no compassion for her either. It would be a shame to hold the fact that someone has overcome an addiction against her. Or don’t you agree?

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/20/2008 9:29 am

Ms. Oliver, Sure, OK, compassion …. perhaps I should have said Cindy McCain is a drug addict. I don’t hold her past/present addictions against her. She owned up to it. She went to treatment and paid people off so she would have to do jail time over the theft of the drugs. Should Cindy McCain become our first lady then I hope she will continue to stay strong and keep clean. It takes great strength to overcome addiction. I can’t for the life of me believe that the McCain’s are the best the republican party could do as far as a presidential nominee goes. McCain himself is an adulterer and an abuser and she is a drug addict. They belong together but they don’t belong in the White House. I am angry at the republican party … being in the public eye is brutal and all is fair in love and politics. Compassion, I don’t come from a place that has much compassion for anyone or anything. The world I live in hard, cold and ugly.

By Liza D 08 .... beta on 06/20/2008 1:10 pm

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Liza, You & I agree the Republican party SHOULD have done better in their nomination. Our reasons might be different, but I for one wish Romney, or Thompson would have stuck it out longer, like Hillary. Look at all the info we now know about Obama & Hillary because of the extended duration of the Demo primary. It shocks me, how many Republicans don’t know that Mc Cain was one of the drafters of the immigration Amnesty policy, the Senate tried to ram down the throats of America last fall. His Gang of 14, his prior rants against tax cuts etc. Neither party should ever Coronate a candidate.

By sandee means on 06/20/2008 2:23 pm

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Oh, I don’t know what is wrong with me …. I knew when I wrote that about Cindy that is was mean. I don’t know what gets into me. I need think twice before I post. I keep saying that I will try harder and then out comes some ugly remark. (shaking head)

By Liza D 08 .... beta on 06/20/2008 3:56 pm

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Liza, I responded to your earlier comment before I saw this post. Don’t worry about it. Your contribution to this website is substantial and there are times when I open my mouth and speak before I think clearly and there are times here when I just type away and then hit the ‘submit’ button and wish I could pull the hold thing back. What say we shall agree to disagree about the McCains and probably about the Obamas, too. Deal?

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/20/2008 11:24 pm

Then Liza D …..beta. I am truly sorry if you have lost the ability to feel compassion. You have received a great deal of it here and I am certain that you and your son shall continue to receive the best wishes of the participants at wowowow. And, I shall continue to champion the campaign of John McCain to be become the next President because Liza, I believe he is the best candidate and the most honorable of the two candidates.

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/20/2008 11:20 pm

Liza: I guess if you know Cindy is a junkie, and I know she is/was a junkie, then that aspect of her life has been pretty well vetted, à la Betty Ford. If a spouse or adult child is going to act as a cheerleader for the nominee, then they should come under some scrutiny (the press will always comment on dress and hairdo in the case of a woman), but certainly not to the extent that the nominee is grilled. However, if the cheerleader starts attacking the other side, then all bets are off. Most spouses, if they’re smart, will want to stay out of the mud. Cindy need not worry about the public eye. Much more of her private life is known than is Michelle’s.

By Marjorie C. on 06/20/2008 7:49 am

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Well, I guess this will show HER the treatment she can expect. She was addicted to painkillers—so is someone in my family and the pain and heartache is enormous.

By Star Lawrence on 06/20/2008 9:44 am

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Plus—I hope the press will also look into her work with kids and her travels—why, just yesterday she was condeming the government of Myamar—you hate them, don’t you?

By Star Lawrence on 06/20/2008 9:48 am